By Tom Tracy
Heights burglary drop The number of burglaries in Brooklyn Heights has dropped considerably since the beginning of the year, recently published statistics show. Officials said that between January 1 and February 11, nine burglaries have been reported to cops at the Gold Street stationhouse, a drop of 60 percent from the 23 that occurred during the same time period in 2006. Statistics show a 19 percent drop in grand larcenies and a 37 percent decrease in car thefts. There was, however, a 47 percent increase in robberies, from 19 in 2006 to 28 this year. Overall felony crime in Brooklyn Heights and DUMBO was down nearly 13 percent as this paper went to press. Child killed A four-year-old boy was struck and killed by a yellow Hummer as he tried to cross the corner of Baltic Street and 3rd Avenue, area cops said. Although the incident was still under investigation, no criminal charges have been filed against the motorist involved in the tragedy that unfolded on the afternoon of February 13. Witnesses told police that the Hummer was traveling northbound on 3rd Avenue at 3:38 p.m. when it attempted to make a right turn onto Baltic Street. As the Hummer turned the corner, it barreled into an 18-year-old woman and four-year-old boy that had just stepped into the intersection. Paramedics rushed the two victims to New York Methodist Hospital where the boy, identified as Bond Street resident James Javarrice, died of his injuries. The 18-year-old victim was listed in stable condition as this paper went to press. Police said that the motorist remained at the scene and did not appear to be impaired in any way when questioned. Moving day Thousands of dollars worth of games and electronic equipment, including a Pac Man arcade game, was removed from the Catty Shack bar at 249 4th Avenue last week, police said. Workers told police that they arrived at the neighborhood watering hole at 11:30 a.m. on February 11 to discover that the rear door had been forced open. Items removed included a $1900 flat panel television, a DVD player, a number of satellite boxes, a $1,000 CD player, jukebox, cash box, and pool table. Neighbors told responding officers that they had seen four people removing property from the bar that morning. Not very proud Members of Brooklyn Pride, a not-for-profit organization that services the borough’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community, told police last week that one of their employees had stolen over $5,000 from their coffers over the last few months. Police said that the employee, who has been identified but remains at large, started bilking the company last August, just two months after the group held their 10th Annual Brooklyn Pride Parade in Park Slope The organizations leaders said that the employee made a number of “unauthorized withdrawals” from their bank account. The thefts ended in January when the employee tried to deposit a fraudulent $13,000 check into the group’s account. Realizing that the check was bogus, the bank temporarily closed the group’s bank account, said police, who were looking to question the wayward employee as this paper went to press. Nabbed for assault A 23-year-old man was arrested for groping a young woman and then slapping the woman’s brother when he took umbrage, cops from the 84th Precinct alleged. Police said that Fabian Arocho was taken into custody just before 4 p.m. on February 1 after he allegedly accosted a 16-year-old woman at the corner of Pacific Street and 4th Avenue. At the time of the alleged attack, the young woman’s 17-year-old brother was nearby, officials said. He immediately ran to his sister’s aid and was allegedly popped in the face for his trouble, officials said. Cops were called to arrest Arocho, who allegedly tried to fight off the officers and refused to be handcuffed. One of the officers was kicked in the legs during the struggle, officials said. Police charged Arocho with assault, the assault of a police officer and resisting arrest. Stealing from the source Workers at ATM World at 70 4th Avenue – a distributor that rents ATMs to stores throughout downtown Brooklyn – told police last week that someone has figured out a way to manipulate the electronic bean counters inside their machines. The cunning thief somehow managed to crack the system and alter the value of the denominations inside the ATM, making the device think that each $20 bill it spit out was worth only $5. Workers at ATM World said that the thief hit a handful of ATM’s with a number of cards. It’s estimated that the thief managed to bilk the company out of over $6,900. Cops are asking anyone with information regarding this incident to call the 84th Precinct at (718) 875-6811. All calls will be kept confidential. iPod rob A 13-year-old boy was robbed of his iPod as he exited a department store near the corner of Boerum Place and Atlantic Avenue. The victim said that he had just exited the store at 7:45 p.m. on February 3 when three unidentified males approached him and demanded his property. The suspects punched the victim in the face and ran off with his iPod, officials said. No serious injuries were reported. Man dies after crash An area senior died Monday following a freak accident that was sparked when he succumbed to a heart attack as he sat behind the wheel of his car. Police believe that Joseph Barrometi, 85, a resident of the 530 block of Henry Street, was driving southbound along Knapp Street in Sheepshead Bay when the heart attack hit. Witnesses said that the senior lost control of his vehicle, a Dodge Intrepid, sideswiped a passing Toyota Camry and then slammed nose first into the rear of a fire truck idling at a stoplight. The uninjured firefighters immediately lent aid to the stricken senior, who ultimately died of his injuries after being taken to Coney Island Hospital. A 48-year-old woman in the sideswiped Toyota was also rushed to Coney Island Hospital, where she was listed in stable condition after treatment. A 12-year-old boy in the car with the woman was uninjured. Robbed at knifepoint Cops are looking for a knife-wielding thug who robbed a 25-year-old at the corner of Atlantic Avenue and Henry Street recently. The victim walked into the 76th Precinct on February 2 claiming that he was passing the corner shortly before midnight on January 30 when the suspect jumped him. The thief, described as a 6’1”, 200-pound, dark-skinned male wearing a black hooded jacket and ski cap, pulled a gravity knife on his victim and demanded his property. The victim told police that he had just forked over $40 when the mugger ordered his victim to hand over his diamond stud earring, which was valued at $700. No injuries were reported. Cops are asking anyone with information regarding this incident to call the 76th Precinct at (718) 834-3211. All calls will be kept confidential. Bank bandit search Cops are asking the community for help in their search for two men wanted for a recent bank robbery. Officials said that the two men entered the Washington Mutual Savings Bank at 192 Smith Street at 3 p.m. on January 29, passed a threatening note to a teller, but then ran off without taking a dime. Cops described one of the two would-be bank robbers as a 6’0” to 6’3” black male in his thirties between 170 and 190 pounds with green eyes and a light complexion. At the time of the robbery, the thief was sporting a goatee and wearing a beige coat with a hooded sweatshirt, a gray hat and blue surgical gloves. His accomplice is described as 5’5” black male in his thirties to forties with a medium build. The man was seen wearing a white “Ecko” reversible jacket and a light-colored hat. Cops are asking anyone with information about these two men to contact NYPD CrimeStoppers at (800) 577-TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential.
